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It started when two canine scientists decide to become pen pals in an era of digital media...

Friday, 7 September 2012

Totally AAWSome

Hey Julie,

Thanks for all that humping info – it’s humptastic!

I am going to get back to you about humping in working dogs another day, as I want to give my response a whole post, which I can’t do today.

Today I need to tell you about AAWS. That’s because AAWS has been in my head all day while I’ve been working on a presentation I’ll be giving next week at the sixth annual ‘Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS) National Workshop’.

The AAWS was developed by the Australian Government with assistance from the National Consultative Committee on Animal Welfare, in consultation with state and territory governments, animal industry experts and organisations, animal welfare groups and the general public.

Stakeholders are people with an interest or concern in animal welfare. In the context of the AAWS, they might be animal owners, veterinarians, livestock producers, researchers or people involved in animal welfare organisations or government agencies.

The AAWS is intended to improve the welfare of all animals, in all Australian states and territories. I have been involved with AAWS since 2007 as a member of a working group. Working groups are comprised of members from government, industry and sector specialist organisations, and also animal welfare organisations.

The role of working groups is to connect the AAWS process and stakeholder networks through discussion forums, the development of projects (including research) and provision of expert adviceto support development in each of these key animal areas:

• livestock/production animals

• animals used for work, sport, recreation

or display (WORKING DOGS ARE HERE)

• companion animals

• animals in the wild

• aquatic animals, and

• animals used in research and for teaching
purposes.

At this year’s workshopI’ll be presenting about the two working dog welfare research projects that AAWS have fundedover the past few years.